By Your Side
by xSummonerYunax
Summary: Billy, a fugitive, knows he will inevitably have to part with Rebecca after their escape, but during one brief moment of relief, he pretends everything is all right. Billy/Rebecca


**By Your Side**

"Stay put," Rebecca commanded, her voice quivering behind her shaky words, her breath almost as labored as Billy's inhales. She gingerly rested Billy's weight against the closest wall and watched his body slump languidly to the carpet floor. When she released him from her arms, she noticed that her own hands were covered in a thick slimy substance mixed with traces of blood, Coen's blood. They had an unfortunate encounter with a leech zombie in a narrow hallway, which put them both in critical health, but the damage done to Billy was much worse than the small cuts and burns on her from being careless with the Molotov cocktail. Just as the leech monster exploded, Billy had forced his body over her, shielding her from the onslaught of the acidic substances from the blast.

"But we should keep going. We need to get outta here," he protested defiantly, even though Rebecca could tell he was visibly wincing in pain.

"We can't go anywhere while you're in that condition!" she argued, completely taken back by his determination to keep pressing forward. "You can barely stand," she said softly, her eyes cast downward in sympathy and slight shame. She just couldn't help but blame herself for what had just occurred. As a S.T.A.R.S. officer, she should have been prepared to defend herself against any obstacle. Maybe she wasn't fit to be a part of S.T.A.R.S., maybe she never was. She was just a rookie who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and ended up assisting a wanted and institutionalized felon.

_No, he's not a felon. I don't believe that he was responsible for all those deaths. He's a good person with a good heart who has saved me so many times. I would have been long gone if it weren't for him… _she told herself, not to excuse herself from disobeying Enrico's orders, but to justify why she would not betray her promise to Coen—that they will cooperate with each other. Although she may not be as skilled in weaponry and tactics as her other team members, Rebecca had always had a strong and sensitive intuition. It had never failed her before, not now, and hopefully, not ever. Deep down, she knew he was innocent.

Billy sighed. He knew she was right. Even though he could barely lift his arm due to the fresh wound from the toxic leech bites, he still gripped his handgun tightly between his fingers, prepared to shoot at anything hazardous. Luckily, the study area seemed quiet without any disturbances, but the fact that it was so still was a disturbance itself. Through his fuzzy vision, he spotted Rebecca standing against a bookshelf, her gun readied in her hand as she surveyed the room for any undead creatures. He couldn't remember the last time he had picked up a book. Reading and playing the piano had always been two of his favorite hobbies, but after being wrongfully sentenced to death, he lost his freedom to do anything. In a strange way, the young, innocent, and carefree S.T.A.R.S. medic reminded him of his younger self before he became a marine, before his life had been re-written in a horrible script he had no choice but to play out to the very end, his end.

"Everything is all right in here." Rebecca nodded after her small inspection. She returned to the Ex-Marine and kneeled down next to him, carefully lifting his injured arm into her sticky, but tender hands. "I think I can fix this up easily," she said reassuringly, and carefully rested his arm on her thighs as she dug into her medical kit for the supplies she needed to dress the wound.

"Oh I see, so you're gonna mix those flower thingies together for me?" Billy let out a dry chuckle.

"They're called herbs," Rebecca corrected strictly. She was very nit-picky about medical terms, but that was because she was able to recognize them as if they were innately ingrained within her. Passing medical school at her age was no small feat. She had spent too many countless nights staying up to study, filled with the drive to protect and heal people.

"Heh, whatever you say doll-face. They look like Christmas flowers to me," he added just to annoy her when he saw her mix a red and green herb together in her kit. He didn't say it aloud, but he was very impressed with her intelligence, which clearly showed that she was wise beyond her age.

"Grr! Coen! For the last time, they're called herbs!" Rebecca frowned, her brows knitting together over her large round eyes in annoyance. She placed the compressed herbs against the gash before wrapping a roll of gauze over it.

"Just playing with ya." His slightly amused smile faded, and he looked very serious this time. "Do you have any healing items for yourself? I wouldn't want you to waste all of them on me. I'm practically a dead man walking, but you…" _You're still young, innocent, you deserve to get outta here alive and continue living on. _"You have a bright future ahead of ya, little girl," he finished solemnly.

Rebecca's head instantly shot up, her hands nearly dropping the supplies in shock. She completely disregarded the much-hated nickname he gave her. She was far too distracted by his mindset more than anything else. "Billy! What are you saying?" He couldn't mean that his life was less worthy than hers just because he had been sentenced to death for a crime she knew he had never committed.

"What I mean is…I'm meant to die, so if we both happen to be in great danger, you should be the one to-"

"That's enough," Rebecca interrupted sternly; the slight increase in her volume surprised herself and Billy. He looked up at her, his eyes locked on hers as he waited for her to follow up on her sudden outburst. When she felt him looking at her, she couldn't help but flush. Everything she had wanted to say that was bottled within her would not make its way through her lips. _I joined S.T.A.R.S. so I could right a wrong, give people the proper justice they deserve. I wouldn't be doing my job right if I let him think like this. _"Please don't say that. You didn't kill those people…I know you didn't! You have every right as I do to make it out of here so you can be a free man again."

Billy glanced at the cuff around his wrist as it jingled slightly with his movement. It suited him quite well. Although he could easily rip them off at the moment, he chose not to do so. No, he'll save that when he'll truly become a free man by Rebecca's words. "So, your mind is already made up, doll-face?" He lifted his bandaged arm and lightly brushed his fingers against her warm cheek.

Unlike the first time when he had tried to do that on the train, Rebecca did not flinch. She remained still as he stroked her face. She couldn't explain why, but she actually enjoyed the small physical contact. Inwardly, she laughed at how her perception of him had changed since their first meeting. During their first encounter on the train, she couldn't even fathom the idea of him touching her, even if it were just a playful gesture. Now, she willingly accepted and even relished in his soft caresses. "Yes." She managed to nod slightly so his fingers would not slip away from her face. "I'm going to free you, Billy Coen, once we get out of here."

"Thank you, Officer Chambers," he said sincerely, tagging on her official title as his way of respecting her the way he should have when they had first met.

"Don't mention it. I promised to cooperate with you, and you saved my life many times." Rebecca gave a small smile, her delicate features radiating visibly beneath the faint glow of the candlelight in the study. When he retracted her hand from her face, she took the chance to ask if he was wounded elsewhere to avoid the moment of silence. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"I think some of the leeches got to my chest." He touched his breastbone to ascertain the severity of the injury. When he winced and pulled his hand away reflexively, Rebecca immediately knew it had to be treated fast before the infection spread.

"Let me take a look at that," she offered, her hands digging into her medical kit once again, pulling out a First Aid Spray and a fresh roll of gauze. "Umm…" she said hesitantly when she brought her hands to the straps of his purple muscle shirt. Logically, she had to take it off to treat his injury, but she was hoping he'd intervene to make it less awkward for her to strip him, to be blunt.

"I got it." He un-tucked the bottom of his wife beater from his jeans and raised his arms, lifting the sleeveless shirt off in one light tug.

Rebecca held her breath as she momentarily stared at his well-toned and chiseled body that was the result of serving as a Marine for many years. His muscular physique certainly didn't go unnoticed by her, and she had to remind herself to stray her eyes away from him or else he was going to catch her 'checking him out.'

"You can breathe now, hun. So, this is what you've been fantasizing about?" he asked, referring to his body. His voice was deep and arrogant, but Rebecca was well aware that he was simply messing with her again.

"K-keep dreaming," she stuttered, apparently failing miserably at putting up an indifferent façade. Taking a clean piece of cloth out of her bag, she quickly, but gently pressed it against his chest, wiping away the yellow pus-like substance that was oozing near his main cut.

"Heh, that stutter doesn't make you sound very convincing," he noted as an effort to distract himself from the pain rippling through his body as she cleansed the gash with a cloth that had the distinct scent of alcohol. The scent was so strong that it was starting to burn his nostrils, never mind his chest. "God, how can you stand being around that smell all the time?"

"Sorry, this is a highly potent alcohol. It's much more effective in cleansing than regular alcohol. I actually mixed it myself," she replied proudly, ignoring his first comment. Rebecca couldn't help her naïve and shy side. Being the youngest and the rookie of the Bravo Team definitely made her nervous around people that had certain expectations for her to meet. Billy Coen wasn't one of them, but she wanted to prove to him that she was able to handle things herself even though his assistance was much appreciated and needed at times. She didn't want him to see her as just a 'little girl.' She wanted—well, what did she want? She had clearly won his respect after he had addressed her as "Officer."

"Quite the chemist you are, but I won't lie. The smell really stinks."

Rebecca shook her head. It was amusing to see such a strong man, an Ex-Marine, whining about the scent of medicine. "Hold your breath and turned your head to the side then."

"But then I can't see your beautiful face." He winked, the words gliding smoothly out of his mouth, unforced and pure.

"Erm…" The S.T.A.R.S. member unconsciously bowed her head in embarrassment, her long brown bangs cascading over her wide eyes. She felt rigid, and her muscles tensed at his words. She had a few compliments about her looks here and there at the R.P.D., but she never took them seriously. She never valued her physical features, as striking as they may be according to some men. Her work and job had always been the most important things in her life, above anything else. But, hearing Billy's flirty comment made her feel like a little schoolgirl who had just seen her first crush all over again. She didn't want to admit it, but she shamelessly enjoyed his teases now that they knew each other better.

Just for pure fun, he continued with his flirty remarks, although they did hold much truth. "Speechless, I see. I must be one lucky man to be treated by such a pretty little nurse." He moved his arm slightly upward, giving the petite woman enough room to bandage the wound over his shoulder. He was quite surprised that she was almost finished tending to him. The sight of her putting that 'potent alcohol' away was a very good sign. "What would I do without ya, Becky?"

"First of all, I am NOT a little nurse. I'm a trained field medic. And, my name is Rebecca, but you can of course call me Officer Chambers as well." She packed all her supplies into her bag before placing her hands on her hips, a demanding look written over her face. She noticed his raised arm moving behind her, and before she could question what he was doing, she felt him encircle her waist with his arm, drawing her small frame against him. "H-hey!" She toppled artlessly against his chest; her hands sprawled against his hard body, the tips of her finger fragilely gripping the edge of his shoulders.

He had not meant to startle her, but it appeared in the midst of his impulsive action, he had indeed shaken her.

"What are you doing, Billy?" Her voice was so light that she almost felt it was the air speaking, not her. She could see the flickering of the candlelight through the reflection in his glossy eyes, and that was when she realized how physically close she was to him. She could feel the rate of her breathing increase, and wondered if he could actually hear it. More importantly, what was he thinking?

_What am I doing? I don't know…I just felt like doing that…._ "Not sure. I just want you near me, by my side."

Rebecca couldn't help but wonder if he was going through a moment of weakness. From the short time she was with him, she noticed that he was physically and mentally strong, never showing any hint of fear, at anything. He was a true solider in spirit and mind. _Mind…_ Touching the surface of her radio strapped in her holster, she suddenly remembered the brief conversation she had with Enrico before they were cut off. He had said Billy had been institutionalized. The reminder only made her sympathize more with Billy. She couldn't imagine the pain and agony that came with the nightmares haunting him. He wanted to stop them, he tried to stop them, but in the end, the very unit he worked for framed him, an innocent man. For a moment, she tried to imagine how she would feel if S.T.A.R.S. abandoned her and then wrongfully condemned her for their mistakes, their sick idea of pleasure. The thought made her stomach turn and her heart tighten in a vise-like grip.

"I'm here," she whispered, sympathizing with his anger and hurt.

It almost felt foreign to him to know that there was someone by him, more importantly, someone who believed him. He had secluded himself ever since the incident in Africa, never trusting another soul afterward. Rebecca—she was the first person he felt comfortable opening up to. Even when he was institutionalized, he had refused to tell his side of the story. No one would believe him anyway. Why waste his breath when he needed it for all the beatings he had to bear later on?

"Thank you," he sighed into the mass of her thick brown hair. Beneath his arms, he felt the medic slightly trembling. "Cold?" he asked casually.

"A little bit," she admitted, noticing that the window was left slightly ajar. A rough storm was taking place outside. She could see droplets of rain splashing angrily against the panes, pounding to be let in. A streak of lightening illuminated the darkness momentarily, and the shadows of tall trees and the facility's strange statues came into view before they were consumed by the darkness of the night again, disappearing after one blink of an eye. Normally, she would have just sucked it up and pretended she was fine, but after hearing Billy's confession, she thought she at least owed him some intimacy with her own true thoughts. She pulled her slim legs to her chest and wrapped her slender arms over her knees, which managed to produce some warmth for her.

"Here, I'll warm ya up." Ignoring Rebecca's multiple puzzled sounds muttered under her breath, Billy widened the space between his legs, spreading his left one outwardly until it rested securely against the woman's thigh. He couldn't think of a better way to warm her up than by seating her between his legs, followed by leaning over her, his chest against her back, his arms around her waist. He dropped his handgun by his side for the first time since he boarded the train. It felt nice knowing that there were no threats in the room, and in Rebecca's company, well…he didn't need anything else, just her. "Better?" The single word came out sounding more like a statement than a question.

"B-billy…" Despite her stuttering, Rebecca actually felt calmer than she thought she would in a questionable situation like this. She let out a deep breath, and relaxed to the sound of the rhythmic beating of his heart. It was soothing and hypnotizing. She could fall asleep to the sound of it with his powerful arms wrapped around her protectively, but they both knew that this moment of relief was not going to last very long. "I thought you were in a rush to keep moving forward," she added quietly, her low voice sounding almost strange to her. Rebecca could be quiet at times, but she was never really soft spoken. She knew when to talk and strike back, but right now, she felt extremely vulnerable, and she didn't mind it. A great part of her wanted to surrender herself to the warmth and comfort he brought her. No, not just to the solace he offered her, but he himself. _Heh, Enrico would have a field day if he were to find out about this…or worse, if he were to find us together…like this. _Disobeying an order from her superior had never felt so right, though.

"You tired?" He placed his chin on top of her head, which wasn't a difficult gesture to accomplish at all being that he was more than a head taller than her.

"Kind of, but we don't have time to rest though…" She turned halfway around and met his intense gaze on her, his dark eyes gleaming with life and compassion. They were not the eyes of a murderer.

"What if I told you I wanted to take a little break. I am the injured man after all." He smoothed her hair, noticing the trivial detail of how silky her strands felt against his fingers. His lips curved into a small grin when he saw a small blush appear on her porcelain-like cheeks. Her wide round eyes glanced back at him with immense curiosity, as if they were searching for something. Billy placed an index finger on the bridge of her delicate nose and trailed down to her small, but plump lips. Being a man, he couldn't help but imagine how his lips would feel against hers, and if one simple kiss could change almost everything. She was clearly sweet and beautiful, untainted and pure—the very opposite of him. Her long black lashes fluttered with each shy blink before they finally rested above her closed eyes. She was indeed a doll-face.

"If that's what you want," she sighed tiredly and leaned her head against his shoulder.

_There are a lot of things I want…but life isn't so kind to me. _During their time together, he had not only wanted to protect her because she was a rookie, but because he had come to care about her…a lot. He had tried to push back the unfamiliar emotion of affection, but she made it extremely difficult for him to do so. Luckily, he had always been more rational than whimsical. He was still a fugitive, which meant that getting close to anyone would put that person in danger as well. He may be a free man after their escape, but he didn't want to risk endangering the only person he had come to cherish in a very long time. Besides, she had her own business to take care of with S.T.A.R.S.. As much as he wanted and hoped that she would stay with him after they escape, he knew very well it was not going to happen. She would be much safer with S.T.A.R.S., and he would just have to make a new life for himself, a new identity.

But, at least right now, he could spend a few precious moments with her. For a few brief minutes, he could pretend that there was no danger in his life, and that the woman in his possessive arms was his.

"Yeah, it is what I want."

-End

A/N: A little depressing? Yeah, I felt depressed after writing this. I just finished Resident Evil Zero today, and the ending had me pretty down. Sadly, no one knows what happened to Billy and Rebecca. I've really come to love Billy so it's unfortunate that we don't really hear from him again. I really wanted to write a fluffy scene after playing the game, but I wanted to throw something substantial into it too. Hmm, as for shirtless Billy…heh, blame the fangirl within me! I hope this was an enjoyable read, and as always, comments are much appreciated. Thank you for reading! I'd like to write another Billy/Rebecca story in the near future.


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